Hawaiʻi Transportation Department finalizes zero-emissions plan after Youth Climate settlement

The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation has released its final Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan, a comprehensive roadmap to zero transportation emissions by 2045, as required by the landmark, Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation climate settlement.

The release of the plan fulfills a key commitment under the judicially enforceable agreement, which is the world’s first climate settlement requiring a government to achieve zero transportation emissions by a specific date. The plan is a direct outcome of the legal action brought by youth plaintiffs and their collaboration with the department to protect their constitutional right to a life-sustaining climate.

Targets and public input

The plan provides strategies for the transportation sector to meet statewide emissions reduction targets established by the Legislature in 2018. The 2030 target is to cut greenhouse gas emissions 50% from 2005 levels. The 2045 target is for Hawaiʻi to capture more carbon that the state emits, thereby achieving net-negative emissions.

The Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan balances reducing emissions with two other pillars: affordability for residents and local energy security.

The department’s plan notes that Hawaiʻi currently produces 10.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year. Even with the state’s leadership in rooftop solar and electric vehicle adoption, this number will likely remain the same without additional emissions reduction policies, actions and investments, according to the plan.

The final plan follows a 65-day public review process. During the public comment period from June 27 through Aug. 30, the department conducted six virtual public presentations, met with many stakeholders, and received 310 public comments.

Comments ranged from calls for more walking and biking paths, concerns about the cost of transitioning to clean fuels and electric vehicles, as well as demands for equitable investment to benefit disadvantaged and rural communities. The department has posted summary responses to the most common comments on the Energy Security Plan website and has incorporated this feedback into the final plan.

“HDOT is grateful for the public’s comments and thanks residents, businesses and stakeholders who have all contributed to shaping the final Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan. It will guide us as we work to lower emissions and increase our energy security, while meeting Hawaiʻi’s transportation needs,” said Director Ed Sniffen. “HDOT can take immediate actions by expanding electric vehicle public charging and having incentives for cleaner fuels. We will continue to work on the dynamic plan which will be updated annually with community input, new data and analysis.”

Implementation strategies

The plan sets forth immediate actions to guide the state’s transportation investments over the next five years, which include expanding electric vehicle public charging; incentives for cleaner fuels; filling critical gaps in pedestrian, transit and bicycle networks; and investing in carbon sequestration projects.

Key revisions incorporated into the final plan include the use of updated data, including the most recent State Greenhouse Gas Inventory from 2022 that shows 50% of emissions come from transportation, with 85% of those transportation emissions coming from domestic aviation. Other revisions include allowing cruise operators to continue operating as long as they use ships that burn cleaner fuels, as well as prioritizing emissions reduction strategies that will lower the cost of transportation for the most vulnerable, such as by adding bus stops or routes.

The plan is designed as a “living document” and will be adjusted annually with changes in law, technology and commitments.

The youth plaintiffs, together with their legal representation from Our Children’s Trust and Earthjustice, continue to work with the department to prioritize implementation of the most effective greenhouse gas reduction strategies, including transportation electrification and expanded walking, biking, and public transit infrastructure.

“The release of HDOT’s Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan is a huge milestone for the Navahine Settlement Agreement and lays out the path toward zero emissions in transportation,” said Andrea Rodgers, deputy director of US Strategy with Our Children’s Trust and lead attorney for the youth plaintiffs. “Now that the youth have shown us what’s possible, it’s up to HDOT to use the full extent of its authority to implement the strategies in the plan—and for the public to continue supporting this work that is necessary to protect the constitutional rights of children in Hawaiʻi.”

“This plan is a critical first step in making Hawai‘i’s transportation system cleaner, safer, and more inclusive for all residents. We now have a roadmap of priority actions that will put us on a path toward decarbonization, in line with Hawai‘i’s laws and constitutional rights to a life-sustaining climate system,” said Isaac Moriwake, managing attorney for the Earthjustice Mid-Pacific Office. “But our work is far from over; putting this plan into action will require continued HDOT leadership and coordination with government and partners across the pae ‘āina. We’re in this for the long haul to make sure the work gets done.”